September 2021

As countries are taking measures to respond to climate change in the Euro-Mediterranean region, energy regulators have specific responsibilities to implement or oversee the promotion and integration of renewable energy sources (RES) alongside their traditional regulatory role.

Based on a recent MEDREG’s report, this digital card explains how regulation is and can be used to accelerate and increase the integration of RES and more widely accompany the decarbonisation of the energy sector.

2 March 2021

Energy regulators play a pivotal role in RES deployment and an increasing number of Mediterranean countries have adopted renewable energy auctions. In 2019, MEDREG carried out a report on "Transparency and accountability in renewable energy auctions" with the objective of identifying auctions’ predominant features while assessing their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and formulating recommendations on how to improve all of them. The Lebanese Centre for Energy Conservation (LCEC) is planning to further improve its capacity for developing renewable energy auctions and has requested the assistance of MEDREG. This handbook is based on a webinar organised by MEDREG to this extent, which presented the best practices related to transparency and accountability rules and auction procedures, showing methods from different countries with good results in achieving price reduction.The document examined the Lebanese auction process in each of its stages focusing on how it could be innovated to apply it to the Lebanese context.

19 February 2021

This report aims to call attention to the evolution of the power system. It starts with the recent development of renewables (RES) and changes in support policies. It builds upon the 2019 MEDREG report “Analysis of auction mechanisms to promote RES” and presents the changes in the current policies in the MEDREG countries after analysing responses to a second questionnaire from its members. Different types of self-consumption models are explained along with the presentation of case studies from MEDREG countries. Recent changes, along with disruptive innovations such as blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT), are demonstrated. Barriers for regulators to integrate RES in the power system are illustrated with the respective remedies. The report also provides a set of recommendations for regulators and policymakers to prepare them for the new power system era.

December 2019

This report seeks to analyse the renewable energy auction mechanisms applied in the Mediterranean basin and on the international level. It describes various types and aspects of renewable energy auction schemes, drawing on the actual experiences of the countries under study.
It also assesses the applicability of different auction types to renewable support under different market countries, identifying the strengths and weakness of RES-E auctions. Furthermore, it determines the auction types and design specifications that suit particular requirements and policy targets in each country under study. Additionally, through an analysis of empirical experiences and certain case studies, the most effective practices in designing auctions for renewable support are identified.

November 2019

This briefing on the legislative package "Clean Energy for all Europeans" - CE4ALL explores various options for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries to cooperate with European Union Member States.
The focus of cooperation options is in the area of deploying renewable energy sources, interconnections and electricity market integration.

This publication was prepared by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) as part of the Center for Mediterranean Integration’s Mediterranean Forum on Electricity and Climate Change.

December 2018

The report on Smart Grids in Mediterranean Countries has been performed by the Renewable Working Group (RES) in cooperation with the and Electricity one (ELE).  This publication analyses the technologies that are implemented in the development of smart grids. Different case studies related to these technologies are provided by MEDREG member countries. The cases give a picture on how these technologies are implemented and what may be the future steps.

December 2017

Based on data collected from 15 MEDREG members and following the 2014 Benchmarking Assessment, this report provides an overview of the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) national situation in terms of total RES generation, technology mix of renewable sources, and the developments in the last years. It also informs on the national legislative and regulatory framework for RES and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) for electricity generation.
In addition, the report draws general trends in terms of electricity demand and generation, the share of RES, the increase of RES generation and CO2 emissions from electricity generation as well as carbon intensity.

January 2017

This report analyzes the guarantees of origin (GOs) in Mediterranean countries. It seeks to identify the common points and the fundamental differences between the practices in different Mediterranean countries focusing on the purpose of using GOs, the role of regulation and the means to supervise this labeling instrument. Regardless of the motivation or the incentive mechanism chosen, the guarantee of origin is largely used for the traceability or to grant advantages in some cases. The use of guarantee of origin is examined through case studies of experiences from European, Balkan and North-African countries: Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The report highlights that it is necessary to develop approaches to make the disclosure system more coherent and reliable and information on disclosure more transparent, so that customers can make a decision based on reliable and trustworthy information.

December 2015

The Working Group on Environment, RES and Energy Efficiency performed the fifth Benchmarking assessment to provide with an overview of the current situation of MEDREG members with regard to power generation, total demand and share of renewable energy sources over demand. The result of this report shows an increasing of capacity installed and generation of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) electricity in almost all MEDREG members, although the results shows a high variability between years, mainly because of weather conditions and its influence on hydro and wind technologies. For instance, in 2014 there was a slight decrease in RES generation, because of a reduction on electricity from hydro technology in some countries. This report also includes a specific part related to the role and competencies of the energy regulator in each country.

November 2014

This fourth report aims to give an overview of the current situation of MEDREG members with regard to power generation, total demand and share of renewable energy sources over demand. Information are mainly based on responses to a specific questionnaire. The information received from member regulators shows the diversity of technologies used to cover their needs. Thermal power plants (TPP) dominate the energy mix, followed by hydro. There are still important gaps among MEDREG countries with regards to installed capacities from RES.

November 2014

The aim of this report is to analyse “net metering systems” in Mediterranean countries, from different points of view: generators, distributors, consumers, etc., in a context of emerging concepts such as “smart grids” or “distributed generation”. For this assessment the RES WG used some best practices based on the experience of five countries: Spain, Israel, Montenegro, Italy and Portugal. The report shows underlines the main benefits resulting from the implementation of such mechanisms, mainly in terms of management of increased RES production and also in the possible reduction of end-user prices. Before deciding whether to implement “net metering systems”, policy makers need to analyse costs and benefits, taking into account the specificities of each national electricity system.

November 2013

The aim of this report is to present an assessment of the key aspects of the integration of RES in isolated systems in MEDREG countries. In particular, the report analyzes political and socio-­-economic issues, electricity generation technology and regulatory issues. This assessment is illustrated with case studies from Algeria, France, Greece, Portugal and Spain, showing how each of these countries address the challenge of meeting the electricity needs in isolated areas of their territory.

November 2013

Every year this report aims at giving an overview of the situation and evolution MEDREG members in terms of power generation structure, total demand, and share of renewable generation over demand. Information are mainly based on responses to a specific questionnaire. The information collected in 2012 shows that all examined countries have a varied mix of technologies to cover their electrical needs. In general, thermal installed capacity (consuming coal, natural gas or, to a lesser extent, fuel is the most widespread technology, followed by hydro. The report shows that the percentage of total installed capacity covered by renewable technologies (mainly hydro, wind and biomass) widely varies across members.

November 2012

The objective of this report is to obtain a general overview of the current situation of each Member State of the MedReg, which belongs to the AG on Environment, Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency (RES AG), in terms of power generation structure, demand evolution, market organization and level of pollutant emissions. From the information received, it is possible to determine that all examined countries have a varied mix of technologies to cover their electrical necessities. In general, thermal installed capacity (consuming coal or natural gas) is the most extended, followed by hydro. From the received data, the percentage of total capacity installed covered by RES (mainly hydro, wind and biomass) is very different from some members to others.

June 2012

Objective of the case study The objective of this report is to present the basic framework to develop a case study on application of the article 9 of Directive 2009/28/EC, towards to achieve respective mandatory target in year 2020. The Mediterranean Solar Plan The Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP), born under the scope of the “Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)”, launched in July 2008, is one of the strategic processes for sustainable development, facing the foreseeable increase of energy demand in the Euro-Mediterranean region, and the need to cut back greenhouse effect gas emissions. Its main objective is to develop 20 GW of renewable electricity capacity on the South Shore of the Mediterranean, as well as the necessary infrastructures for the electricity interconnection with Europe. The Plan also envisages Saving and Energy Efficiency, as well as Technology Transfer. A key element for the development of this Plan is the establishment of a suitable, new regulatory framework to promote the deployment of renewable energies, and facilitating the exchange of electricity. The MSP must be a huge step ahead in the development of the euro-mediterranean cooperation policy in the field of energy, started with the Barcelona Process in 1995, integrated in the European Neighbourhood Policy since 2007 and reinforced with the creation of the Union for the Mediterranean since 2008. This objective would permit countries of the Mediterranean region to use their high potential in resources on renewable energy generation for energy self-sufficiency as well as trading. Furthermore, there would be social advantages of capacity building and accordingly, local qualified employment creation. For EU Countries, the MSP means a great opportunity of achieving renewable targets defined in 2009/28/CE Directive.

December 2011

The report addresses the question on whether a more aligned approach is possible in the energy efficiency field and which possible initiatives can be undertaken to foster energy efficiency in the Mediterranean context. The objective of the paper is to verify the scope for enhanced cooperation of energy efficiency policies in Mediterranean countries, to carry out a comparative analysis of national energy approaches to identify existing gaps and areas with a larger potential for energy savings, to provide some recommendations in order to foster energy efficiency in a relatively more effective way.

December 2011

December 2011

The objective of this document is to promote the exchange of information, knowledge and experiences about Environment protection, promotion of RES (Renewable Energy Sources), CHP (Combined Heat and Power) and Energy Efficiency. Every year this report aims at giving an overview of the situation and the evolution of each MEDREG Member in terms of Renewable Energy Sources, Energy Efficiency, CO2 and other pollutants’ emissions, power generation structure, demand evolution, market organization. The information are based mainly on responses to a questionnaire and on other sources.

May 2010

This document has been developed within the Ad Hoc Group on Environment, RES and energy efficiency of the Association of Mediterranean Regulators for Electricity and Gas (MEDREG). In particular, a Task Force on Demand Side Management was established in November 2007, under the Italian chairmanship, with the objectives of analyzing energy efficiency policies adopted in Mediterranean countries and of studying the possibility to introduce successful mechanisms in countries that still have not adopted them.

May 2010

This document has been developed within the Ad Hoc Group on Environment, RES and energy efficiency of the Association of Mediterranean Regulators for Electricity and Gas (MEDREG). In particular, a Task Force on Demand Side Management was established in November 2007, under the Italian chairmanship, with the objectives of analyzing energy efficiency policies adopted in Mediterranean countries and of studying the possibility to introduce successful mechanisms in countries that still have not adopted them.